Techniques for adjacent channel interference mitigation

ABSTRACT

Techniques for adjacent channel interference mitigation are described. In one embodiment, for example, a user equipment (UE) may comprise logic, at least a portion of which is in hardware, the logic to associate the UE with a pico evolved node B (eNB) in a time-division duplex (TDD) picocell, identify an incongruent uplink (UL) sub-frame for the picocell, and select an enhanced UL transmit power for the incongruent UL sub-frame. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

RELATED CASE

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationNo. 61/809,157, filed Apr. 5, 2013, the entirety of which is herebyincorporated by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments herein generally relate to communications between devices inbroadband wireless communications networks.

BACKGROUND

In a broadband wireless communications network that implements timedivision duplexing (TDD), it may be possible to configure differentcells with different TDD configurations. In some cases, a small cellsuch as a picocell may be configured with a different TDD configurationthan that of a macrocell within or near which the small cell is located.Further, according to some implementations, the TDD configuration forthe macrocell may be static while the small cell TDD configuration maybe dynamically selected based on traffic conditions within the smallcell. For example, in a Time-Division Long-Term Evolution (TD-LTE)wireless network (also sometimes referred to as an LTE TDD wirelessnetwork), an evolved node B (eNB) serving a picocell may dynamicallyselect a TDD configuration for the picocell based on the relativeamounts of uplink (UL) and downlink (DL) traffic in the picocell.

If the TDD configurations of any two particular cells differ, then thetransmission directions within those respective cells may differ duringsome sub-frames. Namely, during some sub-frames, UL transmissions may beperformed in one cell while DL transmissions are performed in the othercell. In the case of a macrocell implementing a TDD configuration thatdiffers from the TDD configuration of a small cell within or near themacrocell, the opposite transmission directions during such sub-framesmay tend to cause mutual interference between the macrocell and thesmall cell if the macrocell and the small cell use adjacent respectivefrequency channels. Particularly, DL transmissions in the macrocell maytend to interfere with UL transmissions in the small cell, and DLtransmissions in the small cell may tend to interfere with ULtransmissions in the macrocell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an operating environment.

FIG. 2A illustrates an embodiment of a first TDD configuration.

FIG. 2B illustrates an embodiment of a second TDD configuration.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a first apparatus and an embodimentof a first system.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a second apparatus and an embodimentof a second system.

FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a first logic flow.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a second logic flow.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a storage medium.

FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a device.

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of wireless network.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various embodiments may be generally directed to techniques for adjacentchannel interference mitigation. In one embodiment, for example, a userequipment (UE) may comprise logic, at least a portion of which is inhardware, the logic to associate the UE with a pico evolved node B (eNB)in a time-division duplex (TDD) picocell, identify an incongruent uplink(UL) sub-frame for the picocell, and select an enhanced UL transmitpower for the incongruent UL sub-frame. Other embodiments are describedand claimed.

Various embodiments may comprise one or more elements. An element maycomprise any structure arranged to perform certain operations. Eachelement may be implemented as hardware, software, or any combinationthereof, as desired for a given set of design parameters or performanceconstraints. Although an embodiment may be described with a limitednumber of elements in a certain topology by way of example, theembodiment may include more or less elements in alternate topologies asdesired for a given implementation. It is worthy to note that anyreference to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particularfeature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with theembodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances ofthe phrases “in one embodiment,” “in some embodiments,” and “in variousembodiments” in various places in the specification are not necessarilyall referring to the same embodiment.

The techniques disclosed herein may involve transmission of data overone or more wireless connections using one or more wireless mobilebroadband technologies. For example, various embodiments may involvetransmissions over one or more wireless connections according to one ormore 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), 3GPP Long Term Evolution(LTE), and/or 3GPP LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) technologies and/or standards,including their revisions, progeny and variants. Various embodiments mayadditionally or alternatively involve transmissions according to one ormore Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM)/Enhanced Data Ratesfor GSM Evolution (EDGE), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System(UMTS)/High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), and/or GSM with General PacketRadio Service (GPRS) system (GSM/GPRS) technologies and/or standards,including their revisions, progeny and variants.

Examples of wireless mobile broadband technologies and/or standards mayalso include, without limitation, any of the Institute of Electrical andElectronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 wireless broadband standards such asIEEE 802.16m and/or 802.16p, International Mobile TelecommunicationsAdvanced (IMT-ADV), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access(WiMAX) and/or WiMAX II, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) 2000(e.g., CDMA2000 1×RTT, CDMA2000 EV-DO, CDMA EV-DV, and so forth), HighPerformance Radio Metropolitan Area Network (HIPERMAN), WirelessBroadband (WiBro), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), High SpeedOrthogonal Frequency-Division Multiplexing (OFDM) Packet Access (HSOPA),High-Speed Uplink Packet Access (HSUPA) technologies and/or standards,including their revisions, progeny and variants.

Some embodiments may additionally or alternatively involve wirelesscommunications according to other wireless communications technologiesand/or standards. Examples of other wireless communications technologiesand/or standards that may be used in various embodiments may include,without limitation, other IEEE wireless communication standards such asthe IEEE 802.11, IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, IEEE 802.11n,IEEE 802.11u, IEEE 802.11ac, IEEE 802.11ad, IEEE 802.11af, and/or IEEE802.11ah standards, High-Efficiency Wi-Fi standards developed by theIEEE 802.11 High Efficiency WLAN (HEW) Study Group, Wi-Fi Alliance (WFA)wireless communication standards such as Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct, Wi-FiDirect Services, Wireless Gigabit (WiGig), WiGig Display Extension(WDE), WiGig Bus Extension (WBE), WiGig Serial Extension (WSE) standardsand/or standards developed by the WFA Neighbor Awareness Networking(NAN) Task Group, machine-type communications (MTC) standards such asthose embodied in 3GPP Technical Report (TR) 23.887, 3GPP TechnicalSpecification (TS) 22.368, and/or 3GPP TS 23.682, and/or near-fieldcommunication (NFC) standards such as standards developed by the NFCForum, including any revisions, progeny, and/or variants of any of theabove. The embodiments are not limited to these examples.

In addition to transmission over one or more wireless connections, thetechniques disclosed herein may involve transmission of content over oneor more wired connections through one or more wired communicationsmedia. Examples of wired communications media may include a wire, cable,metal leads, printed circuit board (PCB), backplane, switch fabric,semiconductor material, twisted-pair wire, co-axial cable, fiber optics,and so forth. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

FIG. 1 illustrates an operating environment 100 such as may berepresentative of various embodiments. In operating environment 100, aneNB 102 generally provides wireless service to user equipment (UEs) 104within a macrocell 106, while an eNB 108 generally provides wirelessservice to UEs 110 within a small cell 112 located within the macrocell106. In some embodiments, small cell 112 may comprise a picocell. Otherexamples of small cell 112 may include, without limitation, a microcell,a femtocell, or another type of smaller-sized cell. In variousembodiments, eNB 102 and eNB 108 may communicate over a backhaul 114. Insome embodiments, backhaul 114 may comprise a wired backhaul. In variousother embodiments, backhaul 114 may comprise a wireless backhaul. It isworthy of note that although small cell 112 is located within macrocell106 in the example of FIG. 1, the embodiments are not so limited. Insome embodiments, small cell 112 may comprise a neighboring cell ofmacrocell 106, or may simply be located relatively close to macrocell106. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, operating environment 100 may comprise a portionof an LTE radio access network (RAN), such as an E-UTRAN. In someembodiments, operating environment 100 may comprise a portion of an RANthat employs time-division duplexing (TDD). For example, in variousembodiments, operating environment 100 may comprise a portion of an LTETDD wireless network. In some embodiments, according to a TDDimplementation in operating environment 100, eNBs 102 and 108 maycommunicate with UEs 104 and 110 according to one or more defined TDDconfigurations. In various embodiments, each such TDD configuration mayspecify the direction in which wireless communications are to beperformed on a given wireless channel during each portion of each timingframe or other defined time interval. More particularly, for eachportion of a given timing frame or other defined time interval, a TDDconfiguration may specify whether transmissions on a wireless channelare to be performed in the uplink (UL) direction or the downlink (DL)direction during that portion. For example, if a TDD configuration foreNB 102 specifies that DL transmissions are to be performed on awireless channel during a particular sub-frame, then eNB 102 may beoperative to transmit to one or more UEs 104 over the wireless channelduring that sub-frame. The embodiments are not limited to this example.

FIG. 2A illustrates an example of a TDD configuration 200 that may beimplemented by an eNB such as eNB 102 and/or eNB 108 of FIG. 1 in someembodiments. According to TDD configuration 200, a timing frame 202 issub-divided into ten sub-frames 204-1 to 204-10. In various embodiments,timing frame 202 may comprise a duration of 10 ms, and each ofsub-frames 204-1 to 204-10 may comprise a respective duration of 1 ms.In some other embodiments, timing frame 202 may comprise a differentduration and/or a different number of sub-frames 204. Further, invarious embodiments, the durations of some sub-frames 204 may differfrom the durations of other sub-frames 204. The embodiments are notlimited in this context.

As shown in FIG. 2A, TDD configuration 200 may assign some sub-frames204 for UL transmissions and assign other sub-frames for DLtransmissions. In this example, sub-frames 204-3, 204-4, 204-8, and204-9 are designated as UL sub-frames, while sub-frames 204-1, 204-5,204-6, and 204-10 are designated as DL sub-frames. TDD configuration mayalso sub-divide some sub-frames, and designate some portions withinthose sub-frames for UL transmissions while designating other portionswithin the same sub-frames for DL transmissions. In the example of FIG.2A, sub-frames 204-2 and 204-7 comprise special sub-frames that may besub-divided into UL and DL portions. If, in an example embodiment, eNB102 of FIG. 1 implements TDD configuration 200, then eNB 102 maytransmit to one or more UEs 104 over a wireless channel duringsub-frames 204-1, 204-5, 204-6, and/or 204-10, and/or during portions ofsub-frames 204-2 and/or 204-7, and may receive transmissions from one ormore UEs 104 over the wireless channel during sub-frames 204-3, 204-4,204-8, and/or 204-9, and/or during other portions of sub-frames 204-2and/or 204-7. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

Returning to FIG. 1, in some embodiments, eNB 102 and eNB 108 mayimplement a same TDD configuration, such as the example TDDconfiguration 200 of FIG. 2A. However, in various embodiments, it may bedesirable that eNB 108 implement a different TDD configuration than eNB102. For example, in some embodiments, a balance between UL and DLtraffic within small cell 112 may be different than a balance between ULsub-frames and DL sub-frames according to a TDD configurationimplemented by eNB 102. In an example embodiment, there may besignificantly more DL traffic than UL traffic in small cell 112. In sucha case, the even balance between UL and DL sub-frames defined by TDDconfiguration 200 of FIG. 2A may be sub-optimal for use in small cell112. Thus, in such a case, it may be desirable to implement a differentTDD configuration in small cell 112, according to which more timeresources are allocated for DL transmissions than are allocated for ULtransmissions.

FIG. 2B illustrates an example of a TDD configuration 250 that may beimplemented in small cell 112 in some embodiments. More particularly,TDD configuration 250 may comprise an example of a TDD configurationthat allocates more time resources for DL transmissions than for ULtransmissions. In the aforementioned example in which there issignificantly more DL traffic than UL traffic in small cell 112 of FIG.1, TDD configuration 250 may allocate resources in a manner that betterreflects the UL/DL traffic balance within small cell 112. In TDDconfiguration 250, sub-frames 204-1, 204-4, 204-5, 204-6, 204-7, 204-8,204-9, and 204-10 are each designated as DL sub-frames. Sub-frame 204-2is designated as a special sub-frame, and only sub-frame 204-3 isdesignated as a UL sub-frame. In contrast to TDD configuration 200 ofFIG. 2A, which features an even balance between UL and DL allocations,TDD configuration 250 heavily favors DL allocations. Thus, TDDconfiguration 250 may be more optimal for implementation in small cell112 of FIG. 1 if there is substantially more DL traffic in small cell112 than there is UL traffic.

It is worthy of note that TDD configuration 250 merely comprises oneexample of an alternate TDD configuration that might be implemented insmall cell 112, and the embodiments are not limited to this particularexample. Further, the scenario in which small cell 112 comprisessubstantially more DL traffic than UL traffic is merely one example of ascenario in which a TDD configuration other than TDD configuration 200of FIG. 2A might be preferable for implementation within small cell 112.In various other embodiments, small cell 112 may comprise substantiallymore UL traffic than DL traffic, or there may be other reasons why itmay be preferable to implement an alternate TDD configuration in smallcell 112. Furthermore, the TDD configuration implemented in macrocell106 may not necessarily be one that features an even balance between ULand DL allocations. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

Returning to FIG. 1, in some embodiments, the TDD configuration formacrocell 106 may be statically defined, while the TDD configuration forsmall cell 112 may be dynamic. In various embodiments, eNB 108 maydynamically select the TDD configuration for small cell 112 based ontraffic characteristics within small cell 112. In some embodiments, aTDD configuration dynamically selected by eNB 108 for small cell 112 maydiffer from a static TDD configuration for macrocell 106. For example,in various embodiments, macrocell 106 may be statically configured withTDD configuration 200 of FIG. 2A, while eNB 108 may dynamically selectTDD configuration 250 of FIG. 2B for small cell 112 based on trafficconditions within small cell 112. During some sub-frames in someembodiments in which eNBs 102 and 108 implement different TDDconfigurations, eNBs 102 and 108 may communicate in opposite directions.For example, if eNB 102 implements TDD configuration 200 of FIG. 2A andeNB 108 implements TDD configuration 250 of FIG. 2B, then duringsub-frames 204-4, 204-8, and 204-9, eNB 102 may receive UL transmissionsfrom UEs 104 while eNB 108 sends DL transmissions to UEs 110. Theembodiments are not limited to this example.

As previously noted, a particular TDD configuration such as TDDconfiguration 200 of FIG. 2A or TDD configuration 250 of FIG. 2B mayspecify the directions for wireless communications over a particularwireless channel. In operating environment 100, eNB 102 may utilize adifferent frequency channel to communicate with UEs 104 than eNB 108utilizes to communicate with UEs 110. However, in various embodiments,eNBs 102 and 108 may utilize respective frequency channels that areadjacent to each other. In some such embodiments, the use of adjacentfrequency channels may tend to result in mutual interference betweencommunications in macrocell 106 and communications in small cell 112during some sub-frames. More particularly, the use of adjacent frequencychannels may tend to result in mutual interference in sub-frames duringwhich the transmission direction in macrocell 106 is opposite that insmall cell 112. In sub-frames during which macrocell transmissions areperformed in the DL direction and small cell transmissions are performedin the UL direction, DL transmissions in macrocell 106 may tend tointerfere with UL transmissions in small cell 112. Similarly, insub-frames during which macrocell transmissions are performed in the ULdirection and small cell transmissions are performed in the DLdirection, DL transmissions in small cell 112 may tend to interfere withUL transmissions in macrocell 106. The embodiments are not limited inthis context.

Disclosed herein are techniques for mitigating interference betweenadjacent wireless communications channels. According to such techniques,the transmit powers of one or more transmissions performed in a smallcell such as small cell 112 may be adjusted in order to reduce thelikelihood and/or degree of interference between transmissions in thesmall cell and transmissions in a macrocell near or within which itresides, such as macrocell 106. In various embodiments, the techniquesmay additionally involve adjusting the transmit powers of one or moretransmissions performed in the macrocell. In some embodiments in which aTDD configuration for the small cell can be dynamically selected, anadjacent channel association bias may be introduced that increases thetendency of UEs to associate with the small cell, thus allowing moretraffic to make use of the dynamic TDD configuration capabilities of thesmall cell. At the same time, the adjacent channel association bias mayreduce the amount of traffic handled by the macrocell, and in variousembodiments, the reduced load may enable the macrocell eNB to refrainfrom performing potentially interfering DL transmissions during somesub-frames. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram of an apparatus 300. Apparatus 300may be representative of an eNB, such as eNB 108 of FIG. 1, that mayimplement adjacent channel interference mitigation techniques in someembodiments. As shown in FIG. 3, apparatus 300 comprises multipleelements including a processor circuit 302, a memory unit 304, acommunications component 306, and a power management component 308. Theembodiments, however, are not limited to the type, number, orarrangement of elements shown in this figure.

In various embodiments, apparatus 300 may comprise processor circuit302. Processor circuit 302 may be implemented using any processor orlogic device, such as a complex instruction set computer (CISC)microprocessor, a reduced instruction set computing (RISC)microprocessor, a very long instruction word (VLIW) microprocessor, anx86 instruction set compatible processor, a processor implementing acombination of instruction sets, a multi-core processor such as adual-core processor or dual-core mobile processor, or any othermicroprocessor or central processing unit (CPU). Processor circuit 302may also be implemented as a dedicated processor, such as a controller,a microcontroller, an embedded processor, a chip multiprocessor (CMP), aco-processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), a network processor, amedia processor, an input/output (I/O) processor, a media access control(MAC) processor, a radio baseband processor, an application specificintegrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), aprogrammable logic device (PLD), and so forth. In one embodiment, forexample, processor circuit 302 may be implemented as a general purposeprocessor, such as a processor made by Intel® Corporation, Santa Clara,Calif. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In some embodiments, apparatus 300 may comprise or be arranged tocommunicatively couple with a memory unit 304. Memory unit 304 may beimplemented using any machine-readable or computer-readable mediacapable of storing data, including both volatile and non-volatilememory. For example, memory unit 304 may include read-only memory (ROM),random-access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), Double-Data-Rate DRAM(DDRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), static RAM (SRAM), programmable ROM(PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), electrically erasableprogrammable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, polymer memory such asferroelectric polymer memory, ovonic memory, phase change orferroelectric memory, silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS)memory, magnetic or optical cards, or any other type of media suitablefor storing information. It is worthy of note that some portion or allof memory unit 304 may be included on the same integrated circuit asprocessor circuit 302, or alternatively some portion or all of memoryunit 304 may be disposed on an integrated circuit or other medium, forexample a hard disk drive, that is external to the integrated circuit ofprocessor circuit 302. Although memory unit 304 is comprised withinapparatus 300 in FIG. 3, memory unit 304 may be external to apparatus300 in various embodiments. The embodiments are not limited in thiscontext.

In some embodiments, apparatus 300 may comprise a communicationscomponent 306. Communications component 306 may comprise logic,circuitry, and/or instructions operative to send messages to one or moreremote devices and/or to receive messages from one or more remotedevices. In various embodiments, communications component 306 may beoperative to send and/or receive messages over one or more wiredconnections, one or more wireless connections, or a combination of both.In some embodiments, communications component 306 may additionallycomprise logic, circuitry, and/or instructions operative to performvarious operations in support of such communications. Examples of suchoperations may include selection of transmission and/or receptionparameters and/or timing, packet and/or protocol data unit (PDU)construction and/or deconstruction, encoding and/or decoding, errordetection, and/or error correction. The embodiments are not limited tothese examples.

In various embodiments, apparatus 300 may comprise a power managementcomponent 308. Power management component 308 may comprise logic,circuitry, and/or instructions operative to determine transmit powersfor messages sent by communications component 306. In some embodiments,power management component 308 may be operative to determine suchtransmit powers based on information received from one or more remotedevices. In various embodiments, power management component 308 mayadditionally or alternatively be operative to determine transmit powersto be used by one or more remote devices in sending messages toapparatus 300. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

FIG. 3 also illustrates a block diagram of a system 340. System 340 maycomprise any of the aforementioned elements of apparatus 300. System 340may further comprise a radio frequency (RF) transceiver 342. RFtransceiver 342 may comprise one or more radios capable of transmittingand receiving signals using various suitable wireless communicationstechniques. Such techniques may involve communications across one ormore wireless networks. Exemplary wireless networks include (but are notlimited to) cellular radio access networks, wireless local area networks(WLANs), wireless personal area networks (WPANs), wireless metropolitanarea network (WMANs), and satellite networks. In communicating acrosssuch networks, RF transceiver 342 may operate in accordance with one ormore applicable standards in any version. The embodiments are notlimited in this context.

In some embodiments, system 340 may comprise one or more RF antennas344. Examples of any particular RF antenna 344 may include, withoutlimitation, an internal antenna, an omni-directional antenna, a monopoleantenna, a dipole antenna, an end-fed antenna, a circularly polarizedantenna, a micro-strip antenna, a diversity antenna, a dual antenna, atri-band antenna, a quad-band antenna, and so forth. In variousembodiments, RF transceiver 342 may be operative to send and/or receivemessages and/or data using one or more RF antennas 344. The embodimentsare not limited in this context.

During operation, apparatus 300 and/or system 340 may generally beoperative to implement a radio access network cell within which itprovides service to one or more remote devices such as UEs. In someembodiments, apparatus 300 and/or system 340 may comprise an eNB thatserves UEs within a small cell, such as a picocell. In variousembodiments, apparatus 300 and/or system 340 may be operative tocommunicate with UEs in the small cell according to a TDD configurationfor the small cell. In some embodiments, the small cell that apparatus300 and/or system 340 serves may be located within or near a macrocellthat operates on an adjacent frequency channel. In various embodiments,apparatus 300 and/or system 340 may be operative to communicate with amacrocell eNB 350 that serves the macrocell. The embodiments are notlimited in this context.

In some embodiments, communications component 306 may be operative toreceive macrocell TDD configuration information 310 from macrocell eNB350. Macrocell TDD configuration information 310 may compriseinformation describing a TDD configuration according to which macrocelleNB 350 communicates with UEs in its macrocell. In various embodiments,macrocell TDD configuration information 310 may comprise an identifier(ID) for a particular TDD configuration, the details of which mayalready known to apparatus 300 and/or system 340. For example, in someembodiments, memory unit 304 may comprised stored information describingvarious possible TDD configurations and specifying their respective IDs.In various other embodiments, macrocell TDD configuration information310 may comprise information that in itself specifies the details of aTDD configuration of the macrocell. For example, in some embodiments,macrocell TDD configuration information 310 may specify, for eachsub-frame of a defined wireless communications timing frame, whethercommunications performed in the macrocell during that sub-frame areperformed in the UL direction, the DL direction, or both. In variousembodiments, the TDD configuration of the macrocell may be static. Theembodiments are not limited in this context.

In some embodiments, power management component 308 may be operative todetermine a TDD configuration for a small cell served by apparatus 300and/or system 340. In various embodiments, the TDD configuration for thesmall cell may be dynamically selected, based on traffic characteristicsin the small cell. For example, in some embodiments, if there is asignificantly larger amount of DL traffic in the small cell than thereis UL traffic, a TDD configuration may be selected for the small cellthat allocated more sub-frames for DL communications than it allocatesfor UL communications. In various embodiments, power managementcomponent 308 and/or one or more other components of apparatus 300and/or system 340 may select the TDD configuration for the small cell.In some other embodiments, the TDD configuration for the small cell maybe selected by an external device and reported to apparatus 300 and/orsystem 340. For example, in various embodiments, communicationscomponent 306 may be operative to send traffic information to macrocelleNB 350 that describes the traffic in the small cell, and macrocell eNB350 may be operative to select the TDD configuration for the small celland send a message to apparatus 300 and/or system 340 that comprises anID for the selected TDD configuration. Power management component 308may then be operative to determine the TDD configuration for the smallcell based on the ID comprised in the received message. The embodimentsare not limited to this example.

In some embodiments, power management component 308 may be operative toidentify one or more incongruent sub-frames of a small cell served byapparatus 300 and/or system 340. Herein, the term “incongruentsub-frame” denotes a sub-frame during at least a portion of which acommunications direction in a small cell is different than acommunications direction in an adjacent-channel macrocell within or nearwhich the small cell is located. An “incongruent UL sub-frame” isdefined as a sub-frame during which communications are in the ULdirection in the small cell but, during at least a portion of thesub-frame, are in the DL direction in the adjacent-channel macrocell.Similarly, an “incongruent DL sub-frame” is defined as a sub-frameduring which communications are in the DL direction in the small cellbut, during at least a portion of the sub-frame, are in the UL directionin the adjacent-channel macrocell. In various embodiments, theincongruent sub-frames identified by power management component 308 mayinclude one or more incongruent UL sub-frames and/or one or moreincongruent DL sub-frames. In some embodiments, power managementcomponent 308 may be operative to determine the one or more incongruentsub-frames by comparing the TDD configuration of the macrocell with theTDD configuration of the small cell. The embodiments are not limited inthis context.

In various embodiments, in response to identifying one or moreincongruent DL sub-frames, power management component 308 may beoperative to select a reduced DL transmit power for use in transmittingDL messages 316 sent during those sub-frames. In some embodiments, powermanagement component 308 may be operative to determine the reduced DLtransmit power by reducing a standard DL transmit power by a particularmargin. For example, in various embodiments, power management component308 may be operative to determine the reduced DL transmit power bysubtracting 10 dB from a standard DL transmit power. The embodiments arenot limited to this example.

In some embodiments, communications component 306 may be operative touse the reduced DL transmit power to send one or more DL messages 316during one or more of the incongruent DL sub-frames. In variousembodiments, by reducing the transmit power with which it sends DLmessages 316 during incongruent DL sub-frames, communications component306 may reduce the tendency of those DL messages 316 to interfere withUL communications sent to macrocell eNB 350 by UEs in the macrocell thatmacrocell eNB 350 serves. The embodiments are not limited in thiscontext.

In some embodiments, communications component 306 may be operative tosend small cell TDD configuration information 312 to one or more smallcell UEs, such as a UE 360. Small cell TDD configuration information 312may comprise information describing the selected TDD configurationaccording to which UEs in the small cell are to communicate withapparatus 300 and/or system 340. In various embodiments, small cell TDDconfiguration information 312 may simply comprise a TDD configurationID, while in some other embodiments, small cell TDD configurationinformation 312 may comprise information that in itself specifies thedetails of the selected TDD configuration for the small cell. Theembodiments are not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, communications component 306 may be operative toprovide the one or more small cell UEs with additional information thatthey can use to implement further interference mitigation techniques.More particularly, in some embodiments, communications component 306 maybe operative to send information that enables one or more small cell UEsto identify one or more incongruent UL sub-frames and performinterference mitigation techniques during those incongruent ULsub-frames. For example, in various embodiments, communicationscomponent 306 may be operative to provide one or more UEs such as UE 360with incongruent UL sub-frame information 314 that identifies one ormore incongruent UL sub-frames for the small cell. In some otherembodiments, communications component 306 may be operative to providethe one or more UEs with macrocell TDD configuration information 310 andsmall cell TDD configuration information 312, and those UEs may beoperative to identify the one or more incongruent UL sub-frames based onthe macrocell TDD configuration information 310 and the small cell TDDconfiguration information 312. In yet other embodiments, the UEs may beoperative to receive macrocell TDD configuration information 310directly from macrocell eNB 350, to receive small cell TDD configurationinformation 312 from apparatus 300 and/or system 340, and to identifythe one or more incongruent UL sub-frames based on the macrocell TDDconfiguration information 310 and the small cell TDD configurationinformation 312. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In some embodiments, power management component 308 may be operative toselect one or more UL power control parameter values 330 for applicationby one or more small cell UEs, such as UE 360. In various embodiments,communications component 306 may be operative to send UL power controlparameter values 330 to small cell UEs by including UL power controlparameter values 330 in incongruent UL sub-frame information 314 and orDL messages 316. In some other embodiments, communications component 306may be operative to send UL power control parameter values 330 inseparate, dedicated messages. In various embodiments, UL power controlparameter values 330 may comprise values for UL power control parametersthat small cell UEs are to apply in order to implement enhanced ULtransmit powers during incongruent UL sub-frames. The embodiments arenot limited in this context.

FIG. 4 illustrates a block diagram of an apparatus 400. Apparatus 400may be representative of a UE, such as a UE 110 of FIG. 1 and/or UE 360of FIG. 3, that may implement adjacent channel interference mitigationtechniques in various embodiments. As shown in FIG. 4, apparatus 400comprises multiple elements including a processor circuit 402, a memoryunit 404, a communications component 406, and a power managementcomponent 408. The embodiments, however, are not limited to the type,number, or arrangement of elements shown in this figure.

In some embodiments, apparatus 400 may comprise processor circuit 402.Processor circuit 402 may be implemented using any processor or logicdevice. Examples of processor circuit 402 may include, withoutlimitation, any of the examples previously presented with respect toprocessor circuit 302 of FIG. 3. The embodiments are not limited in thiscontext.

In various embodiments, apparatus 400 may comprise or be arranged tocommunicatively couple with a memory unit 404. Memory unit 404 may beimplemented using any machine-readable or computer-readable mediacapable of storing data, including both volatile and non-volatilememory. Examples of memory unit 404 may include, without limitation, anyof the examples previously presented with respect to memory unit 304 ofFIG. 3. It is worthy of note that some portion or all of memory unit 404may be included on the same integrated circuit as processor circuit 402,or alternatively some portion or all of memory unit 404 may be disposedon an integrated circuit or other medium, for example a hard disk drive,that is external to the integrated circuit of processor circuit 402.Although memory unit 404 is comprised within apparatus 400 in FIG. 4,memory unit 404 may be external to apparatus 400 in some embodiments.The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In various embodiments, apparatus 400 may comprise a communicationscomponent 406. Communications component 406 may comprise logic,circuitry, and/or instructions operative to send messages to one or moreremote devices and/or to receive messages from one or more remotedevices. In some embodiments, communications component 406 may beoperative to send and/or receive messages over one or more wiredconnections, one or more wireless connections, or a combination of both.In various embodiments, communications component 406 may additionallycomprise logic, circuitry, and/or instructions operative to performvarious operations in support of such communications. Examples of suchoperations may include selection of transmission and/or receptionparameters and/or timing, packet and/or protocol data unit (PDU)construction and/or deconstruction, encoding and/or decoding, errordetection, and/or error correction. The embodiments are not limited tothese examples.

In some embodiments, apparatus 400 may comprise a power managementcomponent 408. Power management component 408 may comprise logic,circuitry, and/or instructions operative to determine transmit powersfor messages sent by communications component 406. In variousembodiments, power management component 408 may be operative todetermine such transmit powers based on information received from one ormore remote devices. In some embodiments, power management component 408may additionally be operative to determine received signal strengths forone or more signals received from one or more remote devices. Theembodiments are not limited in this context.

FIG. 4 also illustrates a block diagram of a system 440. System 440 maycomprise any of the aforementioned elements of apparatus 400. System 440may further comprise an RF transceiver 442. RF transceiver 442 maycomprise one or more radios capable of transmitting and receivingsignals using various suitable wireless communications techniques. Suchtechniques may involve communications across one or more wirelessnetworks. Examples of such wireless networks may include, withoutlimitation, any of the examples previously presented with respect to RFtransceiver 342 of FIG. 3. In communicating across such networks, RFtransceiver 442 may operate in accordance with one or more applicablestandards in any version. The embodiments are not limited in thiscontext.

In various embodiments, system 440 may comprise one or more RF antennas444. Examples of RF antenna(s) 444 may include, without limitation, anyof the examples previously presented with respect to RF antenna(s) 344of FIG. 3. In various embodiments, RF transceiver 442 may be operativeto send and/or receive messages and/or data using one or more RFantennas 444. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In some embodiments, system 440 may comprise a display 446. Display 446may comprise any display device capable of displaying informationreceived from processor circuit 402. Examples for display 446 mayinclude a television, a monitor, a projector, and a computer screen. Inone embodiment, for example, display 446 may be implemented by a liquidcrystal display (LCD), light emitting diode (LED) or other type ofsuitable visual interface. Display 446 may comprise, for example, atouch-sensitive display screen (“touchscreen”). In variousimplementations, display 446 may comprise one or more thin-filmtransistors (TFT) LCD including embedded transistors. The embodiments,however, are not limited to these examples.

During operation, apparatus 400 and/or system 440 may generally beoperative to detect one or more eNBs based on reference signals receivedfrom the one or more eNBs, associate with a selected one of the one ormore eNBs, and obtain wireless connectivity via the selected eNB. Insome embodiments, apparatus 400 and/or system 440 may be operative toselect the eNB with which it associates based on the respective signalstrengths with which it receives the reference signals from the one ormore eNBs. In various embodiments, apparatus 400 and/or system 440 mayimplement an eNB selection procedure that features an adjacent channelassociation bias. In some embodiments in which apparatus 400 and/orsystem 440 selects between a macrocell eNB and a small cell eNB thatoperate on adjacent frequency channels, the adjacent channel associationbias may increase the tendency of apparatus 400 and/or system 440 toselect the small cell eNB. The embodiments are not limited in thiscontext.

In various embodiments, communications component 406 may be operative toreceive a reference signal 418 from a macrocell eNB 450, which may bethe same as or similar to eNB 102 of FIG. 1 and/or macrocell eNB 350 ofFIG. 3. In some embodiments, communications component 406 may beoperative to receive a reference signal 420 from a small cell eNB 470,which may operate on frequency channel that is adjacent to that used bythe macrocell eNB 450, and which may be the same as or similar to eNB108 of FIG. 1 and/or apparatus 300 and/or system 340 of FIG. 3. Invarious embodiments, reference signals 418 and 420 may comprise channelstate information (CSI) reference signals. In some embodiments, powermanagement component 408 may be operative to determine a received signalstrength 422 for reference signal 418 and a received signal strength 424for reference signal 420. In various embodiments, received signalstrengths 422 and 424 may comprise respective powers with whichapparatus 400 and/or system 440 receive reference signals 418 and 420.The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In some embodiments, having detected macrocell eNB 450 and small celleNB 470 based on respective reference signals 418 and 420, powermanagement component 408 may be operative to determine whether toassociate with macrocell eNB 450 or to associate with small cell eNB470. More particularly, in various embodiments, power managementcomponent 408 may be operative to select between macrocell eNB 450 andsmall cell eNB 470 based on received signal strengths 422 and 424. Insome embodiments, power management component 408 may be operative simplyto compare received signal strength 422 with received signal strength424, and select the eNB corresponding to the greater of the two receivedsignal strengths. However, in various other embodiments, powermanagement component 408 may be operative to determine that macrocelleNB 450 and small cell eNB 470 operate on adjacent frequency channels,and may be operative to apply an adjacent channel association bias toits eNB selection procedure. In some such embodiments, power managementcomponent 408 may be operative to apply the adjacent channel associationbias by incrementing received signal strength 424 by some amount, suchas 15 dB, before comparing it with received signal strength 422. It willbe appreciated that numerous other approaches may be used in order toimplement an adjacent channel association bias during selection betweeneNBs, and the embodiments are not limited to this example.

In various embodiments, power management component 408 may be operativeto select small cell eNB 470 for association. In some embodiments,apparatus 400 and/or system 440 may be operative to communicate withsmall cell eNB 470 according to a TDD configuration for the small cell.In various embodiments, communications component 406 may be operative toreceive small cell TDD configuration information 412 from small cell eNB470 that describes the TDD configuration for the small cell. In someembodiments, small cell TDD configuration information 412 may simplycomprise a TDD configuration ID, while in various other embodiments,small cell TDD configuration information 412 may comprise informationthat in itself specifies the details of the TDD configuration for thesmall cell. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In some embodiments, power management component 408 may be operative toidentify one or more incongruent UL sub-frames for the small cell. Invarious embodiments, power management component 408 may be operative toidentify the one or more incongruent UL sub-frames based on informationreceived from small cell eNB 470. In some embodiments, communicationscomponent 406 may be operative to receive incongruent UL sub-frameinformation 414 from small cell eNB 470 that specifies one or moreincongruent UL-sub-frames, and power management component 408 may beoperative to identify the one or more incongruent UL sub-frames based onthe incongruent UL sub-frame information 414. In various otherembodiments, communications component 406 may be operative to macrocellTDD configuration information 410 from small cell eNB 470 that describesa TDD configuration for a macrocell within or near which the small cellis located, and power management component 408 may be operative toidentify the one or more incongruent UL sub-frames based on themacrocell TDD configuration information 410 and the small cell TDDconfiguration information 412. In yet other embodiments, communicationscomponent 406 may be operative to receive macrocell TDD configurationinformation 410 directly from macrocell eNB 450, to receive small cellTDD configuration information 412 from small cell eNB 470, and toidentify the one or more incongruent UL sub-frames based on themacrocell TDD configuration information 410 and the small cell TDDconfiguration information 412. The embodiments are not limited in thiscontext.

In some embodiments, in response to identifying one or more incongruentUL sub-frames, power management component 408 may be operative toimplement an enhanced UL transmit power for use in transmitting ULmessages 426 sent during those sub-frames. In various embodiments, powermanagement component 408 may be operative to apply one or more UL powercontrol parameter values in order to implement the enhanced UL transmitpower. In some embodiments, communications component 406 may beoperative to receive UL power control parameter values 430 from smallcell eNB 470, and power management component 408 may be operative toapply the received UL power control parameter values 430 in order toimplement the enhanced UL transmit power.

In some embodiments, the UL power control parameter values may comprisevalues for fractional UL power control parameters. In variousembodiments, for example, power management component 408 may beoperative to apply values for a target received power parameter P₀and/or a compensation factor parameter α in order to implement anenhanced UL transmit power for sending UL messages 426 during one ormore incongruent UL sub-frames. In an example embodiment, powermanagement component 408 may be operative to increment the targetreceived power parameter P₀ by a defined margin, such as 10 dB. In someembodiments, communications component 406 may be operative to use theenhanced UL transmit power to send one or more UL messages 418 to smallcell eNB 470 during one or more of the incongruent UL sub-frames. Invarious embodiments, by increasing the transmit power with which itsends UL messages 426 during incongruent UL sub-frames, communicationscomponent 406 may reduce the tendency of DL transmissions of asurrounding or neighboring macrocell to interfere with those UL messages426. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

Operations for the above embodiments may be further described withreference to the following figures and accompanying examples. Some ofthe figures may include a logic flow. Although such figures presentedherein may include a particular logic flow, it can be appreciated thatthe logic flow merely provides an example of how the generalfunctionality as described herein can be implemented. Further, the givenlogic flow does not necessarily have to be executed in the orderpresented unless otherwise indicated. In addition, the given logic flowmay be implemented by a hardware element, a software element executed bya processor, or any combination thereof. The embodiments are not limitedin this context.

FIG. 5 illustrates one embodiment of a logic flow 500, which may berepresentative of the operations executed by one or more embodimentsdescribed herein. More particularly, logic flow 500 may berepresentative of operations that may be performed in some embodimentsby a small cell UE, such as a UE 110 of FIG. 1, UE 360 of FIG. 3, and/orapparatus 400 and/or system 440 of FIG. 4. As shown in logic flow 500,association with a pico eNB in a TDD picocell may be performed at 502.For example, apparatus 400 and/or system 440 of FIG. 4 may be operativeto associate with small cell eNB 470, which may comprise a pico eNB in aTDD picocell. At 504, TDD configuration information for the picocell maybe received. For example, communications component 406 of FIG. 4 may beoperative to receive small cell TDD configuration information 412. At506, an incongruent UL sub-frame may be identified. For example, powermanagement component 408 of FIG. 4 may be operative to identify one ormore incongruent UL sub-frames based on small cell TDD configurationinformation 412. At 508, an enhanced UL transmit power may be used tosend a UL message during the incongruent UL sub-frame. For example,communications component 406 of FIG. 4 may be operative to use anenhanced UL transmit power to send a UL message 426 during anincongruent UL sub-frame. The embodiments are not limited to theseexamples.

FIG. 6 illustrates one embodiment of a logic flow 600, which may berepresentative of the operations executed by one or more embodimentsdescribed herein. More particularly, logic flow 600 may berepresentative of operations that may be performed in variousembodiments by a small cell eNB, such as eNB 108 of FIG. 1, apparatus300 and/or system 340 of FIG. 3, and/or small cell eNB 470 of FIG. 4. Asshown in logic flow 600, a TDD configuration for a picocell may bedetermined at 602. For example, power management component 308 of FIG. 3may be operative to determine a TDD configuration for a picocell servedby apparatus 300 and/or system 340. At 604, TDD configuration for anadjacent-channel macrocell may be received. For example, communicationscomponent 306 of FIG. 3 may be operative to receive macrocell TDDconfiguration information 310 from macrocell eNB 350, which may serve anadjacent-channel macrocell. At 606, an incongruent DL sub-frame may beidentified. For example, power management component 308 of FIG. 3 may beoperative to identify an incongruent DL sub-frame based on macrocell TDDconfiguration information 310 and small cell TDD configurationinformation 312. At 608, a reduced DL transmit power may be used to senda DL message during the incongruent DL sub-frame. For example,communications component 306 of FIG. 3 may be operative to use a reducedDL transmit power to send a DL message 316 during the incongruent DLsub-frame. The embodiments are not limited to these examples.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a storage medium 700. Storage medium700 may comprise any non-transitory computer-readable storage medium ormachine-readable storage medium, such as an optical, magnetic orsemiconductor storage medium. In various embodiments, storage medium 700may comprise an article of manufacture. In some embodiments, storagemedium 700 may store computer-executable instructions, such ascomputer-executable instructions to implement one or more of logic flow500 of FIG. 5 and logic flow 600 of FIG. 6. Examples of acomputer-readable storage medium or machine-readable storage medium mayinclude any tangible media capable of storing electronic data, includingvolatile memory or non-volatile memory, removable or non-removablememory, erasable or non-erasable memory, writeable or re-writeablememory, and so forth. Examples of computer-executable instructions mayinclude any suitable type of code, such as source code, compiled code,interpreted code, executable code, static code, dynamic code,object-oriented code, visual code, and the like. The embodiments are notlimited in this context.

FIG. 8 illustrates an embodiment of a communications device 800 that mayimplement one or more of apparatus 300 and/or system 340 of FIG. 3,apparatus 400 and/or system 440 of FIG. 4, logic flow 500 of FIG. 5,logic flow 600 of FIG. 6, and storage medium 700 of FIG. 7. In variousembodiments, device 800 may comprise a logic circuit 828. The logiccircuit 828 may include physical circuits to perform operationsdescribed for one or more of apparatus 300 and/or system 340 of FIG. 3,apparatus 400 and/or system 440 of FIG. 4, logic flow 500 of FIG. 5, andlogic flow 600 of FIG. 6, for example. As shown in FIG. 8, device 800may include a radio interface 810, baseband circuitry 820, and computingplatform 830, although the embodiments are not limited to thisconfiguration.

The device 800 may implement some or all of the structure and/oroperations for one or more of apparatus 300 and/or system 340 of FIG. 3,apparatus 400 and/or system 440 of FIG. 4, logic flow 500 of FIG. 5,logic flow 600 of FIG. 6, storage medium 700 of FIG. 7, and logiccircuit 828 in a single computing entity, such as entirely within asingle device. Alternatively, the device 800 may distribute portions ofthe structure and/or operations for one or more of apparatus 300 and/orsystem 340 of FIG. 3, apparatus 400 and/or system 440 of FIG. 4, logicflow 500 of FIG. 5, logic flow 600 of FIG. 6, storage medium 700 of FIG.7, and logic circuit 828 across multiple computing entities using adistributed system architecture, such as a client-server architecture, a3-tier architecture, an N-tier architecture, a tightly-coupled orclustered architecture, a peer-to-peer architecture, a master-slavearchitecture, a shared database architecture, and other types ofdistributed systems. The embodiments are not limited in this context.

In one embodiment, radio interface 810 may include a component orcombination of components adapted for transmitting and/or receivingsingle carrier or multi-carrier modulated signals (e.g., includingcomplementary code keying (CCK) and/or orthogonal frequency divisionmultiplexing (OFDM) symbols) although the embodiments are not limited toany specific over-the-air interface or modulation scheme. Radiointerface 810 may include, for example, a receiver 812, a frequencysynthesizer 814, and/or a transmitter 816. Radio interface 810 mayinclude bias controls, a crystal oscillator and/or one or more antennas818-f. In another embodiment, radio interface 810 may use externalvoltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs), surface acoustic wave filters,intermediate frequency (IF) filters and/or RF filters, as desired. Dueto the variety of potential RF interface designs an expansivedescription thereof is omitted.

Baseband circuitry 820 may communicate with radio interface 810 toprocess receive and/or transmit signals and may include, for example, ananalog-to-digital converter 822 for down converting received signals, adigital-to-analog converter 824 for up converting signals fortransmission. Further, baseband circuitry 820 may include a baseband orphysical layer (PHY) processing circuit 826 for PHY link layerprocessing of respective receive/transmit signals. Baseband circuitry820 may include, for example, a medium access control (MAC) processingcircuit 827 for MAC/data link layer processing. Baseband circuitry 820may include a memory controller 832 for communicating with MACprocessing circuit 827 and/or a computing platform 830, for example, viaone or more interfaces 834.

In some embodiments, PHY processing circuit 826 may include a frameconstruction and/or detection module, in combination with additionalcircuitry such as a buffer memory, to construct and/or deconstructcommunication frames. Alternatively or in addition, MAC processingcircuit 827 may share processing for certain of these functions orperform these processes independent of PHY processing circuit 826. Insome embodiments, MAC and PHY processing may be integrated into a singlecircuit.

The computing platform 830 may provide computing functionality for thedevice 800. As shown, the computing platform 830 may include aprocessing component 840. In addition to, or alternatively of, thebaseband circuitry 820, the device 800 may execute processing operationsor logic for one or more of apparatus 300 and/or system 340 of FIG. 3,apparatus 400 and/or system 440 of FIG. 4, logic flow 500 of FIG. 5,logic flow 600 of FIG. 6, storage medium 700 of FIG. 7, and logiccircuit 828 using the processing component 840. The processing component840 (and/or PHY 826 and/or MAC 827) may comprise various hardwareelements, software elements, or a combination of both. Examples ofhardware elements may include devices, logic devices, components,processors, microprocessors, circuits, processor circuits, circuitelements (e.g., transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, and soforth), integrated circuits, application specific integrated circuits(ASIC), programmable logic devices (PLD), digital signal processors(DSP), field programmable gate array (FPGA), memory units, logic gates,registers, semiconductor device, chips, microchips, chip sets, and soforth. Examples of software elements may include software components,programs, applications, computer programs, application programs, systemprograms, software development programs, machine programs, operatingsystem software, middleware, firmware, software modules, routines,subroutines, functions, methods, procedures, software interfaces,application program interfaces (API), instruction sets, computing code,computer code, code segments, computer code segments, words, values,symbols, or any combination thereof. Determining whether an embodimentis implemented using hardware elements and/or software elements may varyin accordance with any number of factors, such as desired computationalrate, power levels, heat tolerances, processing cycle budget, input datarates, output data rates, memory resources, data bus speeds and otherdesign or performance constraints, as desired for a givenimplementation.

The computing platform 830 may further include other platform components850. Other platform components 850 include common computing elements,such as one or more processors, multi-core processors, co-processors,memory units, chipsets, controllers, peripherals, interfaces,oscillators, timing devices, video cards, audio cards, multimediainput/output (I/O) components (e.g., digital displays), power supplies,and so forth. Examples of memory units may include without limitationvarious types of computer readable and machine readable storage media inthe form of one or more higher speed memory units, such as read-onlymemory (ROM), random-access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM),Double-Data-Rate DRAM (DDRAM), synchronous DRAM (SDRAM), static RAM(SRAM), programmable ROM (PROM), erasable programmable ROM (EPROM),electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), flash memory, polymermemory such as ferroelectric polymer memory, ovonic memory, phase changeor ferroelectric memory, silicon-oxide-nitride-oxide-silicon (SONOS)memory, magnetic or optical cards, an array of devices such as RedundantArray of Independent Disks (RAID) drives, solid state memory devices(e.g., USB memory, solid state drives (SSD) and any other type ofstorage media suitable for storing information.

Device 800 may be, for example, an ultra-mobile device, a mobile device,a fixed device, a machine-to-machine (M2M) device, a personal digitalassistant (PDA), a mobile computing device, a smart phone, a telephone,a digital telephone, a cellular telephone, user equipment, eBookreaders, a handset, a one-way pager, a two-way pager, a messagingdevice, a computer, a personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, alaptop computer, a notebook computer, a netbook computer, a handheldcomputer, a tablet computer, a server, a server array or server farm, aweb server, a network server, an Internet server, a work station, amini-computer, a main frame computer, a supercomputer, a networkappliance, a web appliance, a distributed computing system,multiprocessor systems, processor-based systems, consumer electronics,programmable consumer electronics, game devices, display, television,digital television, set top box, wireless access point, base station,node B, subscriber station, mobile subscriber center, radio networkcontroller, router, hub, gateway, bridge, switch, machine, orcombination thereof. Accordingly, functions and/or specificconfigurations of device 800 described herein, may be included oromitted in various embodiments of device 800, as suitably desired.

Embodiments of device 800 may be implemented using single input singleoutput (SISO) architectures. However, certain implementations mayinclude multiple antennas (e.g., antennas 818-f) for transmission and/orreception using adaptive antenna techniques for beamforming or spatialdivision multiple access (SDMA) and/or using MIMO communicationtechniques.

The components and features of device 800 may be implemented using anycombination of discrete circuitry, application specific integratedcircuits (ASICs), logic gates and/or single chip architectures. Further,the features of device 800 may be implemented using microcontrollers,programmable logic arrays and/or microprocessors or any combination ofthe foregoing where suitably appropriate. It is noted that hardware,firmware and/or software elements may be collectively or individuallyreferred to herein as “logic” or “circuit.”

It should be appreciated that the exemplary device 800 shown in theblock diagram of FIG. 8 may represent one functionally descriptiveexample of many potential implementations. Accordingly, division,omission or inclusion of block functions depicted in the accompanyingfigures does not infer that the hardware components, circuits, softwareand/or elements for implementing these functions would be necessarily bedivided, omitted, or included in embodiments.

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a broadband wireless access system900. As shown in FIG. 9, broadband wireless access system 900 may be aninternet protocol (IP) type network comprising an internet 910 typenetwork or the like that is capable of supporting mobile wireless accessand/or fixed wireless access to internet 910. In one or moreembodiments, broadband wireless access system 900 may comprise any typeof orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) based wirelessnetwork, such as a system compliant with one or more of the 3GPP LTESpecifications and/or IEEE 802.16 Standards, and the scope of theclaimed subject matter is not limited in these respects.

In the exemplary broadband wireless access system 900, radio accessnetworks (RANs) 912 and 918 are capable of coupling with evolved node Bs(eNBs) 914 and 920, respectively, to provide wireless communicationbetween one or more fixed devices 916 and internet 910 and/or between orone or more mobile devices 922 and Internet 910. One example of a fixeddevice 916 and a mobile device 922 is device 800 of FIG. 8, with thefixed device 916 comprising a stationary version of device 800 and themobile device 922 comprising a mobile version of device 800. RANs 912and 918 may implement profiles that are capable of defining the mappingof network functions to one or more physical entities on broadbandwireless access system 900. eNBs 914 and 920 may comprise radioequipment to provide RF communication with fixed device 916 and/ormobile device 922, such as described with reference to device 800, andmay comprise, for example, the PHY and MAC layer equipment in compliancewith a 3GPP LTE Specification or an IEEE 802.16 Standard. eNBs 914 and920 may further comprise an IP backplane to couple to Internet 910 viaRANs 912 and 918, respectively, although the scope of the claimedsubject matter is not limited in these respects.

Broadband wireless access system 900 may further comprise a visited corenetwork (CN) 924 and/or a home CN 726, each of which may be capable ofproviding one or more network functions including but not limited toproxy and/or relay type functions, for example authentication,authorization and accounting (AAA) functions, dynamic host configurationprotocol (DHCP) functions, or domain name service controls or the like,domain gateways such as public switched telephone network (PSTN)gateways or voice over internet protocol (VoIP) gateways, and/orinternet protocol (IP) type server functions, or the like. However,these are merely example of the types of functions that are capable ofbeing provided by visited CN 924 and/or home CN 926, and the scope ofthe claimed subject matter is not limited in these respects. Visited CN924 may be referred to as a visited CN in the case where visited CN 924is not part of the regular service provider of fixed device 916 ormobile device 922, for example where fixed device 916 or mobile device922 is roaming away from its respective home CN 926, or where broadbandwireless access system 900 is part of the regular service provider offixed device 916 or mobile device 922 but where broadband wirelessaccess system 900 may be in another location or state that is not themain or home location of fixed device 916 or mobile device 922. Theembodiments are not limited in this context.

Fixed device 916 may be located anywhere within range of one or both ofeNBs 914 and 920, such as in or near a home or business to provide homeor business customer broadband access to Internet 910 via eNBs 914 and920 and RANs 912 and 918, respectively, and home CN 926. It is worthy ofnote that although fixed device 916 is generally disposed in astationary location, it may be moved to different locations as needed.Mobile device 922 may be utilized at one or more locations if mobiledevice 922 is within range of one or both of eNBs 914 and 920, forexample. In accordance with one or more embodiments, operation supportsystem (OSS) 928 may be part of broadband wireless access system 900 toprovide management functions for broadband wireless access system 900and to provide interfaces between functional entities of broadbandwireless access system 900. Broadband wireless access system 900 of FIG.9 is merely one type of wireless network showing a certain number of thecomponents of broadband wireless access system 900, and the scope of theclaimed subject matter is not limited in these respects.

Various embodiments may be implemented using hardware elements, softwareelements, or a combination of both. Examples of hardware elements mayinclude processors, microprocessors, circuits, circuit elements (e.g.,transistors, resistors, capacitors, inductors, and so forth), integratedcircuits, application specific integrated circuits (ASIC), programmablelogic devices (PLD), digital signal processors (DSP), field programmablegate array (FPGA), logic gates, registers, semiconductor device, chips,microchips, chip sets, and so forth. Examples of software may includesoftware components, programs, applications, computer programs,application programs, system programs, machine programs, operatingsystem software, middleware, firmware, software modules, routines,subroutines, functions, methods, procedures, software interfaces,application program interfaces (API), instruction sets, computing code,computer code, code segments, computer code segments, words, values,symbols, or any combination thereof. Determining whether an embodimentis implemented using hardware elements and/or software elements may varyin accordance with any number of factors, such as desired computationalrate, power levels, heat tolerances, processing cycle budget, input datarates, output data rates, memory resources, data bus speeds and otherdesign or performance constraints.

One or more aspects of at least one embodiment may be implemented byrepresentative instructions stored on a machine-readable medium whichrepresents various logic within the processor, which when read by amachine causes the machine to fabricate logic to perform the techniquesdescribed herein. Such representations, known as “IP cores” may bestored on a tangible, machine readable medium and supplied to variouscustomers or manufacturing facilities to load into the fabricationmachines that actually make the logic or processor. Some embodiments maybe implemented, for example, using a machine-readable medium or articlewhich may store an instruction or a set of instructions that, ifexecuted by a machine, may cause the machine to perform a method and/oroperations in accordance with the embodiments. Such a machine mayinclude, for example, any suitable processing platform, computingplatform, computing device, processing device, computing system,processing system, computer, processor, or the like, and may beimplemented using any suitable combination of hardware and/or software.The machine-readable medium or article may include, for example, anysuitable type of memory unit, memory device, memory article, memorymedium, storage device, storage article, storage medium and/or storageunit, for example, memory, removable or non-removable media, erasable ornon-erasable media, writeable or re-writeable media, digital or analogmedia, hard disk, floppy disk, Compact Disk Read Only Memory (CD-ROM),Compact Disk Recordable (CD-R), Compact Disk Rewriteable (CD-RW),optical disk, magnetic media, magneto-optical media, removable memorycards or disks, various types of Digital Versatile Disk (DVD), a tape, acassette, or the like. The instructions may include any suitable type ofcode, such as source code, compiled code, interpreted code, executablecode, static code, dynamic code, encrypted code, and the like,implemented using any suitable high-level, low-level, object-oriented,visual, compiled and/or interpreted programming language.

The following examples pertain to further embodiments:

Example 1 is user equipment (UE), comprising logic, at least a portionof which is in hardware, the logic to associate the UE with a picoevolved node B (eNB) in a time-division duplex (TDD) picocell, identifyan incongruent uplink (UL) sub-frame for the picocell, and implement anenhanced UL transmit power for the incongruent UL sub-frame.

In Example 2, the logic of Example 1 may optionally use the enhanced ULtransmit power to send a UL message during the incongruent UL sub-frame.

In Example 3, the logic of any of Examples 1 to 2 may optionallyconfigure one or more UL power control parameters in order to implementthe enhanced UL transmit power.

In Example 4, the one or more UL power control parameters of Example 3may optionally comprise at least one fractional UL power controlparameter.

In Example 5, the one or more UL power control parameters of any ofExamples 3 to 4 may optionally comprise a target received powerparameter P₀.

In Example 6, the logic of Example 5 may optionally increment the targetreceived power parameter P₀ by a defined margin, based on a received ULpower control parameter value.

In Example 7, the one or more UL power control parameters of any ofExamples 3 to 6 may optionally comprise a compensation factor α.

In Example 8, the logic of any of Examples 1 to 7 may optionallyidentify the incongruent UL sub-frame based on received incongruent ULsub-frame information.

In Example 9, the logic of any of Examples 1 to 8 may optionallyidentify the incongruent UL sub-frame based on received TDDconfiguration information.

In Example 10, the logic of any of Examples 1 to 9 may optionallyassociate the UE with the pico eNB based on an adjacent channelassociation bias.

Example 11 is the UE of any of Examples 1 to 10, comprising a radiofrequency (RF) transceiver, one or more RF antennas, and a display.

Example 12 is at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium, comprising a set of wireless communication instructions that, inresponse to being executed on a computing device, cause the computingdevice to receive a small cell evolved node B (eNB) reference signal andan adjacent-channel macrocell eNB reference signal, associate with aneNB of a time-division duplex (TDD) small cell, based on a receivedsignal strength of the small cell eNB reference signal, a receivedsignal strength of the adjacent-channel macrocell eNB reference signal,and an adjacent channel association bias, and identify an incongruentuplink (UL) sub-frame for the TDD small cell.

In Example 13, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 12 may optionally comprise wireless communicationinstructions that, in response to being executed on the computingdevice, cause the computing device to increase a UL transmit powerduring the incongruent UL sub-frame.

In Example 14, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 13 may optionally comprise wireless communicationinstructions that, in response to being executed on the computingdevice, cause the computing device to send a UL transmission using theincreased UL transmit power during the incongruent UL subframe.

In Example 15, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 12 to 14 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to identify the incongruentUL sub-frame based on TDD configuration information for the TDD smallcell.

In Example 16, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 15 may optionally comprise wireless communicationinstructions that, in response to being executed on the computingdevice, cause the computing device to receive the adjacent-channelmacrocell eNB reference signal from an eNB of a TDD macrocell, andidentify the incongruent UL sub-frame based on the TDD configuration forthe TDD small cell and on TDD configuration information for the TDDmacrocell.

In Example 17, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 13 to 16 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to modify at least one ULpower control parameter in order to increase the UL transmit power.

In Example 18, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 17 may optionally comprise wireless communicationinstructions that, in response to being executed on the computingdevice, cause the computing device to modify the at least one UL powercontrol parameter in response to at least one received UL power controlparameter value.

In Example 19, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 18 may optionally comprise wireless communicationinstructions that, in response to being executed on the computingdevice, cause the computing device to receive the at least one receivedUL power control parameter value from the eNB of the TDD small cell.

In Example 20, the at least one UL power control parameter of any ofExamples 13 to 19 may optionally comprise one or more fractional powercontrol parameters.

In Example 21, the one or more fractional power control parameters ofExample 20 may optionally comprise one or both of a target receivedpower P₀ and a compensation factor α.

Example 22 is a wireless communication method, comprising determining,by a processor circuit at a pico evolved node B (eNB), a TDDconfiguration for a picocell, receiving macrocell configurationinformation specifying a TDD configuration of an adjacent-channelmacrocell, and identifying an incongruent downlink (DL) sub-frame bycomparing the TDD configuration of the macrocell with the TDDconfiguration of the picocell.

In Example 23, the wireless communication method of Example 22 mayoptionally comprise using a reduced transmit power to send a DL messageduring the incongruent DL sub-frame.

In Example 24, the wireless communication method of Example 23 mayoptionally comprise determining the reduced transmit power bydecrementing a standard transmit power by a defined margin.

In Example 25, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 22to 24 may optionally comprise receiving the macrocell configurationinformation from a macro eNB of the adjacent-channel macrocell.

In Example 26, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 22to 25 may optionally comprise selecting the TDD configuration for thepicocell based on traffic conditions within the picocell.

In Example 27, the incongruent DL sub-frame of any of Examples 22 to 26may optionally correspond to an uplink (UL) sub-frame of theadjacent-channel macrocell.

In Example 28, the incongruent DL sub-frame of any of Examples 22 to 26may optionally correspond to a special sub-frame of the adjacent-channelmacrocell.

In Example 29, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 22to 28 may optionally comprise receiving the macrocell configurationinformation over a backhaul connection.

In Example 30, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 22to 29 may optionally comprise sending picocell TDD configurationinformation over a wireless channel, and the picocell TDD configurationinformation may optionally identify the TDD configuration of thepicocell.

In Example 31, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 22to 30 may optionally comprise sending one or more uplink (UL) powercontrol parameter values to be implemented in conjunction with ULtransmissions in the picocell during one or more incongruent ULsub-frames.

Example 32 is at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium comprising a set of instructions that, in response to beingexecuted on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform awireless communication method according to any of Examples 22 to 31.

Example 33 is an apparatus, comprising means for performing a wirelesscommunication method according to any of Examples 22 to 31.

Example 34 is a system, comprising an apparatus according to Example 33,a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, and one or more RF antennas.

Example 35 is user equipment (UE), comprising a processor circuit toreceive a small cell evolved node B (eNB) reference signal and anadjacent-channel macrocell eNB reference signal, associate with an eNBof a time-division duplex (TDD) small cell, based on a received signalstrength of the small cell eNB reference signal, a received signalstrength of the adjacent-channel macrocell eNB reference signal, and anadjacent channel association bias, and identify an incongruent uplink(UL) sub-frame for the TDD small cell.

In Example 36, the processor circuit of Example 35 may optionallyincrease a UL transmit power during the incongruent UL sub-frame.

In Example 37, the processor circuit of Example 36 may optionally send aUL transmission using the increased UL transmit power during theincongruent UL subframe.

In Example 38, the processor circuit of any of Examples 35 to 37 mayoptionally identify the incongruent UL sub-frame based on TDDconfiguration information for the TDD small cell.

In Example 39, the processor circuit of Example 38 may optionallyreceive the adjacent-channel macrocell eNB reference signal from an eNBof a TDD macrocell and identify the incongruent UL sub-frame based onthe TDD configuration for the TDD small cell and on TDD configurationinformation for the TDD macrocell.

In Example 40, the processor circuit of any of Examples 36 to 39 mayoptionally modify at least one UL power control parameter in order toincrease the UL transmit power.

In Example 41, the processor circuit of Example 40 may optionally modifythe at least one UL power control parameter in response to at least onereceived UL power control parameter value.

In Example 42, the processor circuit of Example 41 may optionallyreceive the at least one received UL power control parameter value fromthe eNB of the TDD small cell.

In Example 43, the at least one UL power control parameter of any ofExamples 40 to 42 may optionally comprise one or more fractional powercontrol parameters.

In Example 44, the one or more fractional power control parameters ofExample 43 may optionally comprise one or both of a target receivedpower P₀ and a compensation factor α.

In Example 45 is the UE of any of Examples 35 to 44, comprising adisplay, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, and one or more RFantennas.

Example 46 is at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium, comprising a set of wireless communication instructions that, inresponse to being executed on a pico evolved node B (eNB), cause thepico eNB to determine a TDD configuration for a picocell, receivemacrocell configuration information specifying a TDD configuration of anadjacent-channel macrocell, and identify an incongruent downlink (DL)sub-frame by comparing the TDD configuration of the macrocell with theTDD configuration of the picocell.

In Example 47, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 46 may optionally comprise wireless communicationinstructions that, in response to being executed on the pico eNB, causethe pico eNB to use a reduced transmit power to send a DL message duringthe incongruent DL sub-frame.

In Example 48, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 47 may optionally comprise wireless communicationinstructions that, in response to being executed on the pico eNB, causethe pico eNB to determine the reduced transmit power by decrementing astandard transmit power by a defined margin.

In Example 49, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 46 to 48 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thepico eNB, cause the pico eNB to receive the macrocell configurationinformation from a macro eNB of the adjacent-channel macrocell.

In Example 50, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 46 to 49 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thepico eNB, cause the pico eNB to select the TDD configuration for thepicocell based on traffic conditions within the picocell.

In Example 51, the incongruent DL sub-frame of any of Examples 46 to 50may optionally correspond to an uplink (UL) sub-frame of theadjacent-channel macrocell.

In Example 52, the incongruent DL sub-frame of any of Examples 46 to 50may optionally correspond to a special sub-frame of the adjacent-channelmacrocell.

In Example 53, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 46 to 52 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thepico eNB, cause the pico eNB to receive the macrocell configurationinformation over a backhaul connection.

In Example 54, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 46 to 53 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thepico eNB, cause the pico eNB to send picocell TDD configurationinformation over a wireless channel, and the picocell TDD configurationinformation may optionally identify the TDD configuration of thepicocell.

In Example 55, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 46 to 54 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thepico eNB, cause the pico eNB to send one or more uplink (UL) powercontrol parameter values to be implemented in conjunction with ULtransmissions in the picocell during one or more incongruent ULsub-frames.

Example 56 is a wireless communication method, comprising associating auser equipment (UE) with a pico evolved node B (eNB) in a time-divisionduplex (TDD) picocell, identifying, by a processor circuit, anincongruent uplink (UL) sub-frame for the picocell, and implementing anenhanced UL transmit power for the incongruent UL sub-frame.

In Example 57, the wireless communication method of Example 56 mayoptionally comprise using the enhanced UL transmit power to send a ULmessage during the incongruent UL sub-frame.

In Example 58, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 56to 57 may optionally comprise configuring one or more UL power controlparameters in order to implement the enhanced UL transmit power.

In Example 59, the one or more UL power control parameters of Example 58may optionally comprise at least one fractional UL power controlparameter.

In Example 60, the one or more UL power control parameters of any ofExamples 58 to 59 may optionally comprise a target received powerparameter P₀.

In Example 61, the wireless communication method of Example 60 mayoptionally comprise incrementing the target received power parameter P₀by a defined margin, based on a received UL power control parametervalue.

In Example 62, the one or more UL power control parameters of any ofExamples 58 to 61 may optionally comprise a compensation factor α.

In Example 63, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 56to 62 may optionally comprise identifying the incongruent UL sub-framebased on received incongruent UL sub-frame information.

In Example 64, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 56to 63 may optionally comprise identifying the incongruent UL sub-framebased on received TDD configuration information.

In Example 65, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 56to 64 may optionally comprise associating the UE with the pico eNB basedon an adjacent channel association bias.

Example 66 is at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium comprising a set of instructions that, in response to beingexecuted on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform awireless communication method according to any of Examples 56 to 65.

Example 67 is an apparatus, comprising means for performing a wirelesscommunication method according to any of Examples 56 to 65.

Example 68 is a system, comprising an apparatus according to Example 67,a display, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, and one or more RFantennas.

Example 69 is a pico evolved node B (eNB), comprising logic, at least aportion of which is in hardware, the logic to determine a TDDconfiguration for a picocell, receive macrocell configurationinformation specifying a TDD configuration of an adjacent-channelmacrocell, and identify an incongruent downlink (DL) sub-frame bycomparing the TDD configuration of the macrocell with the TDDconfiguration of the picocell.

In Example 70, the logic of Example 69 may optionally use a reducedtransmit power to send a DL message during the incongruent DL sub-frame.

In Example 71, the logic of Example 70 may optionally determine thereduced transmit power by decrementing a standard transmit power by adefined margin.

In Example 72, the logic of any of Examples 69 to 71 may optionallyreceive the macrocell configuration information from a macro eNB of theadjacent-channel macrocell.

In Example 73, the logic of any of Examples 69 to 72 may optionallyselect the TDD configuration for the picocell based on trafficconditions within the picocell.

In Example 74, the incongruent DL sub-frame of any of Examples 69 to 73may optionally correspond to an uplink (UL) sub-frame of theadjacent-channel macrocell.

In Example 75, the incongruent DL sub-frame of any of Examples 69 to 73may optionally correspond to a special sub-frame of the adjacent-channelmacrocell.

In Example 76, the logic of any of Examples 69 to 75 may optionallyreceive the macrocell configuration information over a backhaulconnection.

In Example 77, the logic of any of Examples 69 to 76 may optionally sendpicocell TDD configuration information over a wireless channel, and thepicocell TDD configuration information may optionally identify the TDDconfiguration of the picocell.

In Example 78, the logic of any of Examples 69 to 77 may optionally sendone or more uplink (UL) power control parameter values to be implementedin conjunction with UL transmissions in the picocell during one or moreincongruent UL sub-frames.

Example 79 is the pico eNB of any of Examples 69 to 78, comprising aradio frequency (RF) transceiver, and one or more RF antennas.

Example 80 is at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium, comprising a set of wireless communication instructions that, inresponse to being executed on a computing device, cause the computingdevice to associate a user equipment (UE) with a pico evolved node B(eNB) in a time-division duplex (TDD) picocell, identify an incongruentuplink (UL) sub-frame for the picocell, and implement an enhanced ULtransmit power for the incongruent UL sub-frame.

In Example 81, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 80 may optionally comprise wireless communicationinstructions that, in response to being executed on the computingdevice, cause the computing device to use the enhanced UL transmit powerto send a UL message during the incongruent UL sub-frame.

In Example 82, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 80 to 81 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to configure one or more ULpower control parameters in order to implement the enhanced UL transmitpower.

In Example 83, the one or more UL power control parameters of Example 82may optionally comprise at least one fractional UL power controlparameter.

In Example 84, the one or more UL power control parameters of any ofExamples 82 to 83 may optionally comprise a target received powerparameter P₀.

In Example 85, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of Example 84 may optionally comprise wireless communicationinstructions that, in response to being executed on the computingdevice, cause the computing device to increment the target receivedpower parameter P₀ by a defined margin, based on a received UL powercontrol parameter value.

In Example 86, the one or more UL power control parameters of any ofExamples 82 to 85 may optionally comprise a compensation factor α.

In Example 87, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 80 to 86 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to identify the incongruentUL sub-frame based on received incongruent UL sub-frame information.

In Example 88, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 80 to 87 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to identify the incongruentUL sub-frame based on received TDD configuration information.

In Example 89, the at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium of any of Examples 80 to 88 may optionally comprise wirelesscommunication instructions that, in response to being executed on thecomputing device, cause the computing device to associate the UE withthe pico eNB based on an adjacent channel association bias.

Example 90 is a wireless communication method, comprising receiving asmall cell evolved node B (eNB) reference signal and an adjacent-channelmacrocell eNB reference signal, associating a user equipment (UE) withan eNB of a time-division duplex (TDD) small cell, based on a receivedsignal strength of the small cell eNB reference signal, a receivedsignal strength of the adjacent-channel macrocell eNB reference signal,and an adjacent channel association bias, and identifying, by aprocessor circuit, an incongruent uplink (UL) sub-frame for the TDDsmall cell.

In Example 91, the wireless communication method of Example 90 mayoptionally comprise increasing a UL transmit power during theincongruent UL sub-frame.

In Example 92, the wireless communication method of Example 91 mayoptionally comprise sending a UL transmission using the increased ULtransmit power during the incongruent UL subframe.

In Example 93, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 90to 92 may optionally comprise identifying the incongruent UL sub-framebased on TDD configuration information for the TDD small cell.

In Example 94, the wireless communication method of Example 93 mayoptionally comprise receiving the adjacent-channel macrocell eNBreference signal from an eNB of a TDD macrocell, and identifying theincongruent UL sub-frame based on the TDD configuration for the TDDsmall cell and on TDD configuration information for the TDD macrocell.

In Example 95, the wireless communication method of any of Examples 91to 94 may optionally comprise modifying at least one UL power controlparameter in order to increase the UL transmit power.

In Example 96, the wireless communication method of Example 95 mayoptionally comprise modifying the at least one UL power controlparameter in response to at least one received UL power controlparameter value.

In Example 97, the wireless communication method of Example 96 mayoptionally comprise receiving the at least one received UL power controlparameter value from the eNB of the TDD small cell.

In Example 98, the at least one UL power control parameter of any ofExamples 95 to 97 may optionally comprise one or more fractional powercontrol parameters.

In Example 99, the one or more fractional power control parameters ofExample 98 may optionally comprise one or both of a target receivedpower P₀ and a compensation factor α.

Example 100 is at least one non-transitory computer-readable storagemedium comprising a set of instructions that, in response to beingexecuted on a computing device, cause the computing device to perform awireless communication method according to any of Examples 90 to 99.

Example 101 is an apparatus, comprising means for performing a wirelesscommunication method according to any of Examples 90 to 99.

Example 102 is a system, comprising an apparatus according to Example101, a display, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, and one or more RFantennas.

Numerous specific details have been set forth herein to provide athorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be understood bythose skilled in the art, however, that the embodiments may be practicedwithout these specific details. In other instances, well-knownoperations, components, and circuits have not been described in detailso as not to obscure the embodiments. It can be appreciated that thespecific structural and functional details disclosed herein may berepresentative and do not necessarily limit the scope of theembodiments.

Some embodiments may be described using the expression “coupled” and“connected” along with their derivatives. These terms are not intendedas synonyms for each other. For example, some embodiments may bedescribed using the terms “connected” and/or “coupled” to indicate thattwo or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact witheach other. The term “coupled,” however, may also mean that two or moreelements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet stillco-operate or interact with each other.

Unless specifically stated otherwise, it may be appreciated that termssuch as “processing,” “computing,” “calculating,” “determining,” or thelike, refer to the action and/or processes of a computer or computingsystem, or similar electronic computing device, that manipulates and/ortransforms data represented as physical quantities (e.g., electronic)within the computing system's registers and/or memories into other datasimilarly represented as physical quantities within the computingsystem's memories, registers or other such information storage,transmission or display devices. The embodiments are not limited in thiscontext.

It should be noted that the methods described herein do not have to beexecuted in the order described, or in any particular order. Moreover,various activities described with respect to the methods identifiedherein can be executed in serial or parallel fashion.

Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and describedherein, it should be appreciated that any arrangement calculated toachieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodimentsshown. This disclosure is intended to cover any and all adaptations orvariations of various embodiments. It is to be understood that the abovedescription has been made in an illustrative fashion, and not arestrictive one. Combinations of the above embodiments, and otherembodiments not specifically described herein will be apparent to thoseof skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. Thus, thescope of various embodiments includes any other applications in whichthe above compositions, structures, and methods are used.

It is emphasized that the Abstract of the Disclosure is provided tocomply with 37 C.F.R. § 1.72(b), requiring an abstract that will allowthe reader to quickly ascertain the nature of the technical disclosure.It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used tointerpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. In addition, inthe foregoing Detailed Description, it can be seen that various featuresare grouped together in a single embodiment for the purpose ofstreamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to beinterpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodimentsrequire more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather,as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in lessthan all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the followingclaims are hereby incorporated into the Detailed Description, with eachclaim standing on its own as a separate preferred embodiment. In theappended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as theplain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and“wherein,” respectively. Moreover, the terms “first,” “second,” and“third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to imposenumerical requirements on their objects.

Although the subject matter has been described in language specific tostructural features and/or methodological acts, it is to be understoodthat the subject matter defined in the appended claims is notnecessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above.Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed asexample forms of implementing the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. Baseband processing circuitry, comprising: amemory; and logic, at least a portion of which is in circuitry coupledto the memory, the logic to: identify a subframe set based oninformation comprised in a received message; identify one or more uplink(UL) power control parameter values for the subframe set; and determine,based on the one or more UL power control parameter values for thesubframe set, a transmit power for transmission by user equipment (UE)of a UL message in a first time-division duplex (TDD) cell during asubframe in the subframe set, the first TDD cell to utilize a firstfrequency channel, the subframe to comprise a UL subframe according to adynamically-selected TDD configuration of the first TDD cell, thesubframe to comprise a downlink (DL) subframe according to a TDDconfiguration of a second TDD cell utilizing a second frequency channelthat is adjacent to the first frequency channel.
 2. The basebandprocessing circuitry of claim 1, the one or more UL power controlparameter values for the subframe set to be comprised in the receivedmessage.
 3. The baseband processing circuitry of claim 1, the one ormore UL power control parameter values for the subframe set to includeat least one fractional power control parameter.
 4. The basebandprocessing circuitry of claim 1, the one or more UL power controlparameter values for the subframe set to include a target received powerparameter P₀ for the UE.
 5. The baseband processing circuitry of claim1, the one or more UL power control parameter values for the subframeset to include a compensation factor parameter α.
 6. The basebandprocessing circuitry of claim 1, the transmit power to comprise anincreased transmit power selected to mitigate interference at an evolvednode B (eNB).
 7. The baseband processing circuitry of claim 1, thesubframe to comprise an incongruent UL subframe.
 8. A system,comprising: the baseband processing circuitry of claim 1; at least oneradio frequency (RF) transceiver; and at least one RF antenna.
 9. Atleast one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising aset of instructions that, in response to being executed at userequipment (UE), cause the UE to: identify a subframe set based oninformation comprised in a received control message; identify one ormore uplink (UL) power control values for the subframe set; anddetermine, based on the one or more UL power control values for thesubframe set, a transmit power for transmission by the UE of a ULmessage in a first time-division duplex (TDD) cell during a subframe inthe subframe set, the first TDD cell to utilize a first frequencychannel, the subframe to comprise a UL subframe according to adynamically-selected TDD configuration of the first TDD cell, thesubframe to comprise a downlink (DL) subframe according to a TDDconfiguration of a second TDD cell utilizing a second frequency channelthat is adjacent to the first frequency channel.
 10. The at least onenon-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the one ormore UL power control values to be comprised in the received message.11. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage medium ofclaim 9, the one or more UL power control values to include at least onefractional power control parameter.
 12. The at least one non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the one or more UL powercontrol values to include a target received power parameter P₀ for theUE.
 13. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable storage mediumof claim 9, the one or more UL power control values to include acompensation factor parameter α.
 14. The at least one non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the transmit power tocomprise an increased transmit power selected to mitigate interferenceat an evolved node B (eNB).
 15. The at least one non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium of claim 9, the subframe to comprise anincongruent UL subframe.
 16. User equipment (UE), comprising: a radiofrequency (RF) transceiver to receive a control message from an evolvednode B (eNB) of a first time-division duplex (TDD) cell; and logic, atleast a portion of which is in circuitry coupled to the RF transceiver,the logic to: identify one or more subframes based on the controlmessage; identify one or more uplink (UL) power control parameters forthe one or more subframes; and determine, based on the one or more ULpower control parameters for the one or more subframes, a transmit powerfor UL transmission of the UE in the first TDD cell during the one ormore subframes, the first TDD cell to utilize a first frequency channel,the one or more subframes to comprise UL subframes according to adynamically-selected TDD configuration of the first TDD cell, the one ormore subframes to comprise downlink (DL) subframes according to a TDDconfiguration of a second TDD cell utilizing a second frequency channelthat is adjacent to the first frequency channel.
 17. The UE of claim 16,the one or more UL power control parameters to be comprised in thecontrol message.
 18. The UE of claim 16, the one or more UL powercontrol parameters to include at least one fractional power controlparameter.
 19. The UE of claim 16, the one or more UL power controlparameters to include a target received power parameter P₀ for the UE.20. The UE of claim 16, the one or more UL power control parameters toinclude a compensation factor parameter α.
 21. The UE of claim 16, thetransmit power to comprise an increased transmit power selected tomitigate interference at the eNB.
 22. The UE of claim 16, the subframeto comprise an incongruent UL subframe of the TDD cell.